Italy's top court confirms Berlusconi prison sentence

Friday, August 02, 2013 - 00:42

Aug 1 - Italy's supreme court on Thursday upheld a jail sentence against Silvio Berlusconi for tax fraud in a devastating blow to the former prime minister that could throw the country's fragile coalition government into crisis. Deborah Gembara.

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Bad news for Silvio Berlusconi.
Italy's supreme court rejected a final appeal -- and upheld the former prime minister's 1-year jail sentence for tax fraud.
While this is Berlusconi's first conviction, it is far from his first brush with the law. The 76-year-old media mogul has faced charges ranging from corruption to having sex with an under aged prostitute.
The sentence is expected to deal a serious blow to the country's already shaky political system and some fear it could send tremors across the euro zone.